<p>I would ask the same question but for Virginia Tech. Seems to be huge rivalry, especially in sports.</p>
<p>To TJED-There really isn't much of a rivalry with W&M. </p>
<p>Academcally, while the two schools are in the same class, the public profile of UVA is much stronger within and outside the state. I don't mean to impugn W&M in saying this as it is truly a very fine institution. But the students who want to go to UVA are generally a different group than those who want to go to W&M. Athletically, the two schools rarely compete and this is definitely not a big rival for Wahoo fans (although I am not sure about the reverse). </p>
<p>Both groups of students are generally pretty happy with and proud of their institution and have a high degree of respect for the other institution. But, frankly, students in Charlottesville (and alumni) don't spend much time thinking about W&M. </p>
<p>To Melli, </p>
<p>Virginia Tech is not a rival academically. UVA is a significantly stronger academic institution with a great history and a national profile. Virginia Tech is improving, but it is nowhere near UVA in most academic areas and rarely do in-state or out-of-state students consider both schools. </p>
<p>Athletically, Virginia Tech has become a bigger rival in recent years due to their football success (and hoops to a much lesser degree) and to their recent entry into the ACC. North Carolina has historically been UVA's biggest rival (although Duke is the main rival for Carolina), but Tech will probably assume this position as they broaden their athletic competencies. There is an annual in-state competition that measures how UVA and VT perform against one another in a variety of sports. This competition is not very well known and has been pretty lopsided in favor of UVA. VT will benefit enormously from their acceptance into the ACC and this will make them a stronger rival across a variety of sports, but this will take time. </p>
<p>The University of Virginia sees itself as a national institution in both academics and athletics and so considers its rivals in a broader space than the state of Virginia. Academically, it is compared regularly to the top schools in the country and perhaps most frequently to other top publics likes Cal, UCLA, Michigan and UNC-CH. </p>
<p>Athletically, Virginia is much more vocal about wanting to compete for national championships in a variety of sports (most prominently, football) and has been increasingly successful in recent years in sports where the history and tradition have not been that great, eg, baseball and tennis. This success has helped the school improve its ranking in the annual national measurement of athletic success, the Sears Cup, which takes into account all of the school's athletic teams (men and women). While Virginia ranks in the top 10-20 on a regular basis the goal is to move into the top 10 on a consistent basis. This is vastly more ambitious than W&M and VT (in its current state), neither of whom are a factor at all in this competition. </p>
<p>Sorry for mucking up this thread with this long comment, but thought it might be useful to inform some of the newest Wahoos. Hope you find it helpful and enjoy your time in Charlottesville. It really is a fantastic, special place.</p>
<p>I chose UVA over Boston university, Northeastern University and Penn State U Park. Priority wait listed at Carnegie but i decided to accept UVA rather than wait. Go UVA!</p>
<p>Carnegie is a cool school!</p>
<p>cool? no.</p>
<p>geeky? yes.</p>
<p>and to people who don't understand the rivalry between UVA and Virginia Tech.... To a large degree, it has a lot to do with the immense school pride and sometimes also superiorty complex. </p>
<p>The incoming students will quickly grow to hate hokies.</p>
<p>Haha, thanks for your reply dajada07 and Untilted. I was actually quite surprised to find out how highly most people thought of UVa. Living overseas on a small island, the only schools that anyone knows here are Ivy Leagues and the UC's. I was actually a bit disappointed that I was going to UVa (the whole I-could-do-better complex and the not-going-to-an-ivy-league thing) (ack don't kill me!) but quickly found my views being wrenched 180 degrees. Go Wahoos! =)</p>
<p>Yeah, people in high school are pretty naive about those kinds of things. Obviously you discover the truth over time (well at least some people...)</p>